Gate and door operating mechanism



v M. c. OSTER.

GATE AND DOOR OPERA-TING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 1UN E 7,1919.

1,380,077. Patented May31,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

wm/wboz I LUST E1 Mme/110' M. C. OSTER.

GATE AND DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 191.9.

1,380,077} Patented May 31, 1-921. a SHFETS-SHFT 2.

. M. c. OSTER.

GATE AND 0003 OPERATING. MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED. JUNE 7., 1919.

1,380,077. a May 31,1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEYET a.

3 Mfmhew B55161" MATTHEW c. OSTER, or 302', MONTANA.

GATE AND noon ornna'rrNo MECHANISM.

Lssaorr.

Specification of Letters Patent. I M 31 192 Application filed June 7, 1919. Serial No. 302,449.

To all to 7mm it may concern:

Be itknownthat I, MATTHEW C. Os'rER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boy, in the county of Fergus and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate and Door Op crating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to operating mechanism for gates and doors adapted to automatically open the gate or door upon the approach of a vehicle therethrough and the passage of the vehicle through the gate or door opening.

An object of the present invention is to provide such mechanism; to provide a mechanism wherein the gate or door can be opened only at the approach of a vehicle wherein a pair of gate or door members are provided and wherein the members cannot be independently opened, where the shock incident to. the automatic opening of the gate or door-members is absorbed or checked at the extreme end of the opening and closing movement of the gate or door members, wherein vibration is reduced to a minimum, and wherein the full and complete operation of opening or closing of the mechanism is insured. I

Another object of the present inventionis to provide a novel means for automatically latching together a pair of gate-or door members and the provision of the means associated with the automatic operating mechanism for initially releasing the latches prior to the opening operation and for initially setting the latches immediately subsequent to the final closing operation of the gate or door members.

The above, and various other objects and advantages will be part described in and in part understood from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodi ment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wall or fence provided with gates or doors and operating means and latch mechanism constructed air-cording to the present invention ap' plied thereto. V

Fig. 2 is an outer end view of one of the gates or door members mounted upon the wall, parts of the apparatus being shown 1n section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged side ele vation of the wallat; one side of the gate or door opening, showing one closure member connection to the operating mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view through one side of the gate or door frame, showing the operating mechanism mounted therein. v

n Fig. 6 is a'detail perspective view of one of the latches employed on the gate or door.

. Referring to the drawings, wherein the present embodiment of this invention is lllustrated, as applied to a pair of gate sectlons mountedlon a fence wall, 10 designates the 'wall of the fence which is provided with a gate opening adapted to aline with a roadway or the like and which is provided at opposite sides of the opening with posts or frame members 11. The wall 10 is also provided with posts 12 which arespacedfrom the posts 11 and which may be termed the outer posts, utilized for supporting the gate members or sections when the latter are moved staggeredlyor retracted into open position. The posts 11 and 12 are provided, near their upper ends with horizontally alining' rollers 13 employed for slidingly supporting the door or gate sections upon the wall 10. T

In the present instance the gate or door is formed in two parts or sections, the same being identical in construction and each provided with an elongated channel bar 14 having the facial portion thereof arranged vertically'a-nd with the flanges adapted toextend inwardly toward the adjacent side of the wall 10 and to receiveitherebetween the adjacent supporting rollers 13. The bar l is ofa length equal substantially to twice that of the body portion of the gate forsupporting the latter in upright position and from tilting when extended into the gate or door opening beyondthe adjacent post 11. The bar 14 comprises the upper portion of thegate member, and the lower portion thereof is in the form of a substantially S-shaped bar 15 of a length slightly greater than that of the body of thegate and which is adapted to engage at its lower end portion upon a roller 16-carried upon' the adjacentside of thegate post 11. The

inner ones of the upper and lower bar 14 and 15 are rigidly connected together by means of a brace bar 17 extendingdia gonally downwardly and forwardly from the inner end of the upper bar 1% to the inner end of bar 15. The body portion of the gate is in the form of a substantially rectangular frame 18 which may be of tubular or other suitable construction and which is provided with any desired number or" vertical strands 19 and horizontal braces or bars 20, in the present instance one transverse bar being shown, the same being arranged substantially between the upper and lower portions of the gate body 18 and suitably secured to the frame 18 for connection of the operating mechanism therewith. It will be noted that each frame may be provided between the inner and outer ends with a vertical supporting rod or portion 21 to which the bars 14., 20 and 15 are suitably connected. The rollers 13 on the wall are adapted to engage between the flanges of the upper bar 14 and to thus not only support the gate section but to also hold the section from tilting or extending about the rollers 13 located upon the outer post 12 and the rollers 13 arranged upon the inner post 11. The s-shaped bar is arranged with its upper flange section secured against the inner side of the gate body 18 and with its lower flange oilsetinwardly toward the wall 10 and adapted to rest in the roller 16, the latter being preferably grooved for maintaining the lower portion of the gate adj a cent the walls.

The means employed for automatically opening and closing the gate sections is identical at opposite sides of the gate opening and each comprises round shaft 22 journaled in brackets 23 secured in spaced apart relation upon the outer side of the'post 11, the round shaft 22 being provided upon its outer end aojacent the gate section with an operating arm 24 adapted to swing'to op posite sides of its pivotal support in the "rackets 23. The arm 24 is connected by a link 25 to the adjacent gate members intermediate its top, bottom and inner and outer edges thereof, such connection being affected by a pin 26 projecting "from the crossed'pon tions of the vertical bar21 off the horizontal bar and pivotally connected to one end of the link 25. The other end of the link has pivotal connection at 27 to an intermediate portion of the operating arm 24. It will be noted that the link 25 is connected to the outer side of the operating arm 2% so that the latter, while swinging from one side to the other side of the vertical plane of the pivot permits the free passage of the link 25 relatively to the end of the'roclr shaft 22.

The gate section is normally held extended or in closed position by the weight rea er? upon a rod 29 in a 28 which is suspended 30 arranged at the II ac oss the roadway beneath the surIace thereo' and extending between the posts 11 the connectors belng plvotally or other- 1e suitably secured to the opposite ends the cepressible member i i hile the depressible member is connected at opposite ends to both of the gate member operating mechanisms, it is essential to exert uniform pressure upon the opposite end portionso'f the member 85 in order to simultaneously actuate the operating mechanisms to effect the uniform opening of the gate members. To produce this result the mechanism is provided at oppo site sides of the walls 10 with outwardly extending and suitably spaced apart spreads or runways 36 which are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the tread of vehicles adapted to pass through the gate or door opening, and which have their inner ends meeting and resting upon the transversely adjustable member 35 integrally beneath the gate or door opening. The outer ends of the runway 36 are pivotally sup ported upon rails or blocks 37 which are sunken in the roadway and adapted to lie Flush their upper i aces therewith. The runways 36 are adapted to incline upwardly toward the gate if desired, to effect the de pression oi? the runway 36 and the member 35'ior operating the gate sections.

Each of the two gate sections is provided with a latch adapted to interlock with the opposite gate section, so that the release of one latch is not sufiieient to permit of the separation of the gate sections. The latch comprises a horizontal. latch bar pivotally supported in brackets 39 upon the outer sides of the gate sections. The outer end of the latch bar 38 is provided with a depending locking finger 40 and the bar 38 is of a length adapted to project beyond the outer end bracket 89 to arrange or hold the latch finger 4L0 beyond the adjacent bar portions of the gate body 18, of the opposite gate members, and the finger a0 with a projection 41 adapted to interlock with the adjacent bar of the opposite gate member. The latch finger a0 is adapted to hang down by gravity in the interlocking engagement with the opposite hinge member, and the inner end oi the latch bar 88 is provided with a double cam 42 presenting as best seen in '24 and the links 25pass through what may F '6'upwardly and downwardly facing cam surfaces lying in the path'of the free end of the adjacent operating arm 24, they final movement or operation thereof to release the latch 38. The finger 40 has a projection 41 extending at such an angle thereto as to engage-the outer bar of the opposite gate section so that the latch is automatically thrown into releasing position until the gate sections are brought into a fully closed position. v

'As shown in Fig. 3, the operating arms be termed a dead center position during the opening and closing of'the gate; xiowever, the operating arm 24 is given a continuous turning movement into either an open or closed position and'to prevent undue strain upon the partof theapparatus, or for slowing down the opening or closing operations of the gate, means are provided for'positively connect ng the gate with the outer end of'the operating arm 24 at such critical times of the operation. To effect this result, each gate member is provided with inner and outer ends and at its outer portion with an upwardly flaring socket 43, which may be secured to the lower bar 15 or near'thereto and onto the vertical bar 21. The free end of the operating arm is preferably pointed or reduced integrally so as to present inclined opposite faces so as to enter the upstanding flaring socket 43 and to bear against the opposite walls thereof in the act of, directly pushing the gate members into open or closed position. It will be apparent that as the socket member 43 is rigidly mounted upon the gate member, the operating arm immediately leaves the socket member, after the critical point or time in the operation has passed.

A further feature of the invention is to provide the link 25 with an elongatedslot for receiving th pin 26 at the connection of the link with the gate to permit of an initiallost motion of the link 25 relatively to the gate during the swinging movement of the link 25 the arm 24 is adapted to operate the latch 40 to an extent suiiiciently to release the opposite gate section; such operation takes place in connection with each latch so that the gate-sections arereleased relatively to one another and the operating mechanism may then be brought into operation for retracting the gate or door members simultaneously.

, A further feature of this invention is to provide means for cushioning the opening and closing members of the gate only at such time asv the gate section reaches near its limit of itsopening or closing posi tion, To this end the weight lever Slhas the, operation of the mechanism.

pivotally' mounted thereon one member of a dash-pot such as the'cy'linder 44 shown in the present embodiment: Within the cylinder 44 -is a piston 45 and a rod 46 slidable 'through'the endof'the cylinder 44 and provided with an elongated slotted link 47. The dash-pot is adapted to extend, upwardly from the weight lever 31 and is connected fat its upper end by means of a pinf48 to. the top of-the ,walllO between the post ll and 12. The cylinder 44is also. provided with a vent nearits lower end adapted to be closed by an ad ust1ng vent set screw 49 adapted to control the passage of air'into and out of the cylinder 44.

In operation, should pressurebe exerted main shut. The purpose ofsuch an arrangementis to prevent the opening of the gate sections should an animal of sufficient welght step onthe runway 36.

It is apparent- When avehicle approaches the gate and bears uponboth of the runways 36 at the adjacent side-of the ate, the depressible member 35 is moved downwardly uniformly at opposite ends and affects the simultaneous operation of the operating arms 24*to first release the latches '40 from the gate members and to then swing the arms 24 downwardly and finally to the position shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. It .is apparent that asthe operatingarms 24 pass into their vertical positions the free ends ofthe arms enterthe coupling socket 43 and directly connect the gate sections to the operating arms. The gate sections are thus quickly moved backward into open po sition until the links 25 move into such angle relatively to the-arm 24 as'to take up the finishing movement of the gate sections. As the arm 24 swings down, the weight arm 31 is raised and the dash-pot cushionin'g element 44 is raised freely on the pin 48 as the latter travels in the elongated slot in the link 47 and offers no resistance to The link 47 is of sufiicient length to maintain the cushioning elements out of place until the arms 24 have reached a position near its limit of movement. At suchpoint of'the operation, the pin 48 engages in the ends of the link 47 and; pressure is then placed upon only at the limits of the relative movement of the gate members. It is apparent that when the gate member is opening, the piston 45 will be pushed inwardly through the cylinder 44 and the checking of the movement depends upon the out or inflow of air through the regulator or set-screw 49.

It is of course understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by scope of the following claims;

I claim:

, 1. In mechanism as specified, the c01nbination of a wall having an opening therein, a gate member slidably mounted on the wall, operating means for moving the gate members into and out of the opening, a

cushioning element connected to the mechanism, auxiliary means adapted to co-act with said operating means during a portion oi the movement of the latter to move said gate member and means associated with the cushioning element for rendering the same inactive during the major portions of the opening and closing movement, and adapted to render the cushioning element active at the limit of such movement.

2. In mechanism as specified, the combination of a wall having an opening therein, a pair of gate sections mounted upon the wall, operating means for such gate sections adapted to slide the same into open and closed positions, a latch mounted on each gate section adapted to engage the opposite gate section for interlocking the gate sections when in closed position, means as sociated with the operating mechanism adapted to release said latches upon the simultaneous operation of said operating mechanism, auxiliary means carried by said gate sections adapted to co-act with said operating means during a portion of the movement of the latter, and cushioning means operative only at the ends of the movements of said gate sections in either direction.

8. In apparatus as specified, the combination of a wall provided with a door or gate opening therein, a pair of door or gate sections, a pivoted operating arm for each door section, a link connecting said arm to the door or gate section, said link being adapted t swing past the vertical plane of the pivotal support of the operating arm during opening and closin operation of the gate or door sections, means for connecting the door or gate sections directly to the operating arm as the latter passes through the vertical plane of its pivot.

4t. In an apparatus as specified, the combination of a wall having a gate or door openingtherein, a door or gate Section slidably mounted upon the wall, an operating arm pivoted upon the wall, a link connected to the operating arm and to the door or gate section, means for actuating the operating arm to swing the latter into position at opposite sides of the vertical plane of its pivot, said link being adapted also to pass from one side to the other of the vertical plane of the pivot of the arm, a socket carried upon the door or gate section adapted to receive the free end of the arm when in lowermost position and passing through the plane of its vertical pivot.

5. In an apparatus as described, the combination of a wall provided with a door or opening therein, a gate section slidably mounted upon the wall, an operating arm pivotally mounted upon thewall and adapted to swing downwardly through the plane of the pivotal support f the arm, a link connecting the arm to the gate section for swinging the link through said plane, said arm extending beyond said link, and a socket fixed upon the lower portion of the door or gate section and adapted to receive the free end of said arm for directly connecting the arm to the door or gate section as the latter passes into open or closed positions, and during passage or" said arm through said plane.

6. In apparatus as specified, the combination of a wall having a door opening therein, a gate section slidably mounted upon the wall, an arm pivotally mounted upon the wall, a link connecting the arm to the gate section with a pin and slot connection between the link and the gate seotionfor permitting the initial loose movement of the link, upon the gate section, means for oper ating the arm, a latch carried by the gate section for maintaining the same locked when closed, and means associated with the arm and the latch for cotiperation upon the initial movement of the arm in the opening of the gate section.

7. In apparatus as specified, the combination of a wall having an opening therein, a door or gate section slidably mounted on the wall, an arm pivoted upon the wall, a link pivoted at one end upon the arm and having a pin and slot connection with the gate section at the other end, a latch carried by the gate section adapted to maintain the same normally locked when closed, and means associated with the arm and the latch for releasing the latter upon the initial lost motion f the link and arm.

8. In apparatus as specified, the combination of a wall provided with a door or gate opening therein, a door or gate section slidably mounted upon the wall, an operating arm pivotally mounted upon said wall and provided with an extension, a link connecting the intermediate portion of the operating arm with said door or gate section, and with a pin and slot connection with the latter, a latch mounted upon the door or gate section adapted to maintain the same locked when closed and provided with a cam portion lying in the path of said arm extension, and means for operating the arm whereby upon the initial lost motion of the arm to engagethe latter with said cam and release the said latch prior to the opening operation of the door or gate sections.

9. In a closure operating device, the combination of a wall provided with an opening, a pair of closure members slidably mounted upon said wall, an operating arm pivotally secured to said wall associated with each of said closure members, connections between said operating arms and said closure members, adapted to permit or" initial lost motion upon the movement of said arms, interlocking latching means associated with each of said closure members adapted to be released by said operating arms during said lost motion, vehicle actuated means adapted to operate said arms to open said closure members, means adapted to cushion the movement of said members only at the end of such movement, and means adapted to automatically return said members to their closed position upon the release of said vehicle actuated HIBEIIIS.

tween said operating arms and said closure members adapted to permit of initial lost motion upon the movement of said arms,interlocking latching means associated with each of said closure members adapted to be released by said operating arms during said lost motion, vehicle actuated means adapted to operate said arms to open said closure members, means carried by said closure members adapted to coact with said operating arms during a portion of their movement, means adapted to cushion the movement of said members at the end of such movement only, and means adapted to automatically. return said members to their closed position upon the release of saidyvehicle operated means. Y

MATTHEW o. OSTER. 

